EP87: My Why - Revisited!

Hey there friends …

This is James.

I am interrupting my podcast series to give you a break and to ask you an all-important question.

I originally published this in June of 2021. Episode 18 of my podcast.

As you all know…

The world has changed since then.

I have changed since then.

So…

I am updating it for your listening pleasure.

This is probably the most difficult question that people will ever answer.

Why?

Why do we do anything?

Why do we get up in the morning?

Why do we instead of wearing our pajamas and slippers, we instead put on a nice shirt, slacks, and loafers?

Or a great-looking dress and high heels?

Why do we go to work?

Why do we care about the things we care about?

We DO care about things!

Let’s make that clear.

It's getting to the root of “why”, which is important to understand.

So, why?

Why is the work we have decided to do with the precious time we have important?

With all the possibilities that we could have picked from, why is what we do all that important?

Many of us spend no less than 8 hours a day doing it. That equates to one-third of our life.

But still many, many more of us spend even more time doing what we do.

Am I right?

You know who you are!

Don't deny it.

You love it!

It is more than work for you.

It is more than a passion.

It takes over your conversations at work, of course, but also when outside of work, with friends and family, you can not help talking about what you do.

The work you do is an extension of who you are.

So who exactly are you?

Why are you this way?

What is your purpose in life that you chose to be who you are?

Believe me, you chose to be who you are.

Was it as a child or possibly a young adult?

Was it the result of some training or a mentor that made a shift in your way of being?

Think back five years, ten years, or more. Are you the same person you were back then?

I doubt it.

Even just a two-year shift backward, and you can see a huge difference.

Through the depression of the 2000s and now Covid, I think we have all been forced to re-examine who we are and try to put in place a way of protecting ourselves from further harm, while still fulfilling a dream we have.

I know that describes me.

So…

I'll share first, and then later it will be your turn.

Ok?

Ok!

I almost lost everything important to me, in late 2007.

Literally.

I came within two weeks of being on the streets (homeless). Talking about it now brings up all those intense feelings I had back then.

I was scared!

My fiance was also out of work at the same time.

When I lost my job it was unbelievable. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting at work doing my job, working for “the man”, when I got a call from my boss and friend. He had been the person that trained me to be a Truss Designer.

He asked me to step into his office.

Nothing new, I thought, we have mid-day meetings all the time.

But…this one - this one was different. It felt different.

This one rocked my world.

It devastated me.

My friend had the difficult job of letting me know that I no longer had a job.

He said that the company was going through a difficult time, with the beginning of the depression, and had to make tough choices.

One of those tough choices included me.

I was one of the highest-paid employees at the time and they could no longer afford to keep me.

Not just me, but also another friend of mine was also let go at the same time.

To be honest, I think I went into shock at the time.

Before that very moment, I was confident that this glitch in the economy would smooth itself out.

I was wrong.

So wrong.

What was worse than being wrong, was not being prepared for such a tragic circumstance.

Later, after months of searching for a replacement job, and the pittance that they call “unemployment compensation” I received a letter from unemployment assistance informing me that my next check would be my last one.

I was not prepared.

Had no money.

Soon I would not be able to afford my apartment.

My ”New” car.

or any luxuries, like food.

Nothing was working.

My fiancé (at the time) and I were sending out resumes daily. Calling and talking to employers, and going to interviews, when offered.

Still, we were two weeks from no longer having a means of income.

We stopped what we were doing. We came together and simply prayed. We let go of the problem and released the burden to God.

It was all we could think to do.

If it were not for my 401K, though, I would have become homeless much sooner.

That money kept me afloat long enough to find a replacement job.

Or did it?

Yes, I found a job.

Or did I?

Back to that prayer.

We both released the burden to God.

To say we were scared, would be only partially right.

And then…

God answered in a way that said “I heard you”.

We both were offered employment on the same day. Within minutes of each other, we received calls letting us know we now had a job.

God is good. And as it turns out he likes to make an entrance as well.

The “Great Depreciation” took away the retirement nest egg I had.

But for millions of other innocent hardworking people out there, they lost much more.

Many did become homeless.

Others were forced to lose their homes.

It was a bad (devastating) time in American history.

I am sure you remember it yourself.

Possibly you had a similar experience.

Maybe yours was worse. If it was I am so sorry.

Fast forward, now we have been living through another dramatic time - not just experienced in the USA - but throughout the entire world.

A global experience.

Covid-19 has devastated countless millions of workers, killed over 1 million of our loved ones just in the United States as of this recording [Oct 30, 2022], and put millions more out of work through forced business closings.

We had never seen anything like it.

Do you mind if I ask you…

Were you prepared for this emergency?

For many, the answer is No!

But…

Could you have been prepared?

I believe the answer is YES!

While we could have never expected the devastation we all saw to take place, financially we could have been prepared.

Had those that lost employment been somehow earning money, at least as a side income, I believe it would have safeguarded many of them. Coupled with unemployment insurance and federal aid, they would have been safeguarded.

Would have been.

How many people – due to Covid-19 would eventually become homeless?

History will tell.

We are currently on the other side of the worst of Covid. But there are still variants springing up causing many people to get sick.

And…

Of course, online marketing and selling online is not something everyone can do. I understand that.

But if it could have helped one family…

Just one…

If at least one person per family did start and succeed at developing an online business, big or small, I think a lot fewer people would be homeless or without sufficient food for their families.

So back to the beginning question.

Why?

Why do we do what we do with this life we have?

For me, and I can only speak for myself, I created this podcast so I could pass on truths that could change the course of people's lives.

Your lives.

Why do I market online?

I want to feel good.

That is really what it all boils down to.

Creating training that transforms people's thinking and how they succeed in business and life is exciting.

Being able to protect my own family's future through retirement, if I ever do retire, is a responsibility I take seriously.

To be able to live through another devastating global problem without being fraught with constant worry is a side benefit.

We all have the responsibility to do whatever we can to protect ourselves, our families, and our future.

So now it is your turn!

So what is your why?

Let me know.

You can email me at: podcast@mkt2online.com

You can leave a voice message as well by clicking below: I'd love to "hear" from you.

https://anchor.fm/mkt2online/message/

Thank you for being a listener.

I mean it when I say I want to make a difference in how you market online.

Your online success is important to you, your family, and our economy.

Your marketing changes people's lives as well.

We ALL change people's lives.

So let's get busy making a difference.

If there is something important you need help with and I can assist you through this podcast training please do not hesitate to let me know. Click HERE to fill out a form to let me know what you thought.

Otherwise, reach out to me through the contact links above.

I’ll be back again next week.

I hope to see you then.

Bye for now.

James "teaching, training, doing" Brown

P.S. - In the event, you DO find that once an episode has been produced and posted, that YOU really would like more information, just let me know. Use the Podcast Questions link, click on the link here. Or you can just leave a voice message here.